Only dimwit commenters would suggest it’s merely a personal decision that doesn’t have any implications for the local newspaper industry. Obviously, this is a vote of “no confidence” from the Pitch head honcho and says a lot the fate of her dead tree rag and so many others whether she admits it or not.

Let’s start off with a bit of backstory: Did you know that Hearne hired C.J. at the Pitch for her first local big-time writing gig?

It gets even more interesting from there . . .
Her career path bounces all over Kansas City alt. mags and even leads to Denver for a little bit. I hear she started out with nothing more than an unsolicited op-ed piece and that lead to her nearly two decades of on-again, off-again writing of some rather butch articles about all things local. Personally, I always thought her writing was a bit too opinionated and shallow for somebody desperately clinging to the tired old “journalist” moniker. But I hear she can be a nurturing and helpful editor at times and I don’t doubt those first person stories. Contrary to blog lies, I never applied for a job at the Pitch, not only because I’m lazy but also because I just didn’t see myself fitting in at the place. But this closed hipster clique proved to be the perfect place for Janovy to practice her craft and at her peak she was certainly one of the most influential opinion makers in this Cowtown.

Now that she has given up on print media, this suggests some insight into the situation at the Pitch.

It’s one thing when the little rats abandon the ship, but C.J. was a higher up and her departure reveals an insider with little faith in the rag’s future. Remember, she has access to figures, projections and ad rates – the big picture. When the person behind the curtain calls it quits, that says a great deal about the future of the show. C.J. is going with the safe, boring, stable gig with a well-funded institution. And given her history for reporting on controversial subjects I think I’m safe in assuming that this dollars and sense decision offers a glimpse at the writing on the wall from the vantage of this media insider.

craig glazerAs I wrote on this blog, the Pitch got away from ‘hot’ local stories and got into the hip-hop life style, with murder stories(urban ones) and who is the best black DJ stuff..this didn’t help, when their readers never were hip hop.

C.J. was kinda like Dick Nixon, if you were on her I hate you list and and I was, no articles, unless they were negitive on you. You knew who they didn’t like much and they did not cover the movers and shakers much. Yes I was one, cause we got sideways on one story she wrote about my Dad’s mayors campaign and wrote something that was wrong, she had to correct it. That was it for me…oh well.

The Pitch can survive but must be more mainstream with whats going on in the media. I think they are moving in that direction.